Jahangirnagar University: Bangladesh’s Green Beacon of Learning and Turmoil

Nestled amid lush greenery just outside Dhaka, Jahangirnagar University stands as a testament to Bangladesh’s post-independence ambitions for higher education. Established amid the chaos of a new nation, it has grown into a sprawling residential powerhouse, blending natural beauty with academic rigor, yet shadowed by persistent student unrest. Over five decades, JU has shaped generations, fueled research breakthroughs, and mirrored the nation’s turbulent journey.

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A Rocky Birth in a New Nation

Jahangirnagar University’s origins trace back to the late 1960s, when Pakistan’s government sought to expand higher education in East Pakistan. The project kicked off in 1968 as Jahangirnagar Muslim University, with a site first selected in Gazipur before shifting to Savar due to logistical snags. Professor Surat Ali Khan, a chemist with a PhD from Imperial College London, served as the initial project director, championing women’s education by pushing for equal dorm facilities.​

The formal ordinance came on August 20, 1970, but academic life began haltingly with 150 students across economics, geography, mathematics, and statistics. Professor Mofizuddin Ahmed, a Penn State PhD chemist, became the first vice-chancellor in September 1970. The official inauguration waited until January 12, 1971, by Rear Admiral S.M. Ahsan, East Pakistan’s governor—just months before Bangladesh’s Liberation War erupted.​

Post-independence, the 1973 Jahangirnagar University Act secularized the institution, dropping “Muslim” from its name and granting autonomy. This charter, still governing today, positioned JU as one of Bangladesh’s four independent public universities. Early growth was modest: four faculties, 24 departments by the 1980s, carved from a government dairy farm on 750 acres—though 50 acres later went to the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre.​

From my years tracking Bangladeshi academia, this pivot from a religiously tinged vision to a secular one captured the era’s zeal for nation-building. Yet, it also sowed seeds for later identity debates, as some still nostalgically invoke the original name.​

The Emerald Campus: Nature Meets Knowledge

Spread over 697.56 acres west of the Dhaka-Aricha highway, JU’s campus is Bangladesh’s fourth-largest and often called the country’s greenest. Gentle hills, 12 lakes teeming with water lilies, and migratory bird flocks draw nature lovers year-round. Winter bird fairs, like the 2017 event at Zahir Raihan Auditorium, highlight this biodiversity hotspot.​

Iconic landmarks define the space. Sangshaptak, a 15-foot bronze Liberation War memorial by sculptor Hamiduzzaman Khan (1990), guards the central library. The 71-foot Shaheed Minar—tallest in Bangladesh, designed by Robiul Hossain—honors the 1952 Language Movement with its 52-foot base symbolizing martyrs. Amar Ekushey sculpture and Muktomancha, an open-air theater named for playwright Selim Al Deen, host endless cultural shows.​

Residential life thrives in 21 halls: 11 for men (like butterfly-shaped Mir Mosharrof Hossain Hall) and 10 for women, housing nearly 14,000 of JU’s 15,000 students. Recent additions—six new 10-story halls—tackle overcrowding, part of a Tk 920 crore mega-project. Yet, this expansion stirs controversy, with students in Jahangirnagar Bachao Andolon demanding a revised masterplan amid environmental fears. RAJUK’s May 2025 directive mandates clearances, but construction rolls on.​

Facilities impress: a central library with 110,000 books, 14,000 journals, and Wi-Fi; Teachers-Student Centre (TSC) for games, debates, and foreign language classes; Zahir Raihan Auditorium seating 1,500. Labs shine too—the Botany Department’s herbarium boasts vast Angiosperm collections, while lakes host butterfly parks with 110 species for biodiversity research.​

Walking these paths feels like stepping into a living classroom. Lakeside “London Bridge” and “Monpura” spots offer quiet reflection, though the abandoned swimming pool reminds of neglected maintenance.

Academic Pillars: Faculties, Institutes, and Research Surge

JU organizes into six faculties and 36 departments, plus four institutes, offering undergrad, grad, MPhil, and PhD programs. About 50% of seats reserve for women—a rare equity push in South Asia.​

Key faculties include:

• Mathematical and Physical Sciences (Dean: Farid Ahmed): Chemistry, Computer Science & Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Geological Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics.​

• Social Sciences (Dean: Bashir Ahmed): Anthropology, Economics, Geography & Environment, Government & Politics, Public Administration, Urban & Regional Planning.​

• Arts & Humanities (Dean: Md. Mozammel Hoque): Archaeology (famed for Wari-Bateswar digs), Bangla, Drama, English, Fine Arts, History, International Relations, Journalism, Philosophy.​

• Biological Sciences (Dean: Mafruhi Sattar): Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Botany, Microbiology, Pharmacy, Public Health, Zoology.​

• Business Studies (Dean: Nigar Sultana): Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Management.​

• Law & Justice (Dean: Tapos Kumar Das).​

Institutes drive specialization:

• Institute of Business Administration (IBA-JU, est. 1991): Pioneered BBA in Bangladesh; now offers MBA with majors like Banking & Finance.

• Institute of Information Technology (2009).

• Bangabandhu Institute of Comparative Literature & Culture.

• Institute of Remote Sensing & GIS for postgrads.​

Research has exploded: Scopus-indexed papers jumped from 2017 levels to 722 in 2022, reaching ~6,700 by October 2025. Physics, computer science, medicine, and environmental science dominate 65% of output. Wazed Miah Science Research Center boasts NMR spectrometers, HPLC, and X-ray facilities via HEQEP grants. Archaeology’s Sundarbans findings push human history back 1,200 years.​

Rankings affirm this rise. Times Higher Education (THE) placed JU 801-1000 globally (2023-2025), #1 in Bangladesh overall, 301-350 in Asia (2024), with top scores in research quality (71.9). QS ranks it 1201-1400 world, 294th Asia, 90th Southern Asia. Subject-wise: 401-500 physical sciences (THE 2025).​

This data underscores JU’s leap, though peers like Dhaka University edge in some metrics.

Shaping Minds: Alumni Who Made Waves

JU alumni punch above their weight in cricket, arts, science, and policy. Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Mushfiqur Rahim, ODI captains, embody sporting glory. Actors like Faruque Ahmed, Humayun Faridi, and Zakia Bari Mamo grace screens; poets Mohammad Rafiq (Ekushey Padak) and Kafil Ahmed blend verse with activism.​

Science stars include Azam Ali (wound dressing innovator), A.A. Mamun (plasma physicist), and swimmer Mohammad Mahfizur Rahman (Olympian). Economists Fahmida Khatun and academics like C. Emdad Haque influence policy. Playwright Selim Al Deen revolutionized theater here.​

Faculty luminaries: National Professors Syed Ali Ahsan and Mustafa Nurul Islam; Ekushey Padak winner Jasim Uddin Ahmed (FRSC). This network fuels JU’s reputation as a cradle for doers, not just degrees.​

Shadows on the Greens: Protests and Challenges

JU’s vibrancy comes with volatility. Student politics, dominated by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), often turns violent. The 1999 Anti-Rape Movement erupted after BCL leader Jasimuddin Manik allegedly assaulted a student; protests forced his expulsion, but critics slammed the VC for dodging legal action, calling it a “license to rape.” Chhatra Shibir faced a 1989 campus ban after killing a Chhatra Dal leader.​

Recent flares: July 2024 quota reform protests saw BCL attack demonstrators at Rabindranath Hall, injuring 70, with sexual assault reports. December 2025 admission scams nabbed proxy users. December 18 protests demanded justice for slain activist Osman Hadi. Infrastructure rows pit students against admins over unchecked high-rises.​

These aren’t anomalies. From my vantage following campus beats, JU exemplifies Bangladesh’s youth bulge: idealistic, restive, demanding accountability. Pros include fierce activism fostering democracy; cons are disrupted classes, safety fears—especially for women—and stalled progress.

Balanced view: Administration cites session delays and welfare needs; students decry politicization. Ongoing orientation (Nov 2025) and sports complex plans signal stabilization efforts.​

Looking Ahead: Promise Amid Perils

Jahangirnagar University endures as Bangladesh’s residential academic jewel, its lakes mirroring a campus alive with ideas and birdsong. Research momentum, global nods, and alumni feats position it for greater strides—perhaps topping THE Asia soon.

Yet, taming politics and greenlighting sustainable growth remain hurdles. With VC Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan (since Sept 2024) steering post-2024 “Spirit of Resilience,” JU could redefine public education.​

The real test? Harnessing its youthful energy without letting it consume the groves. For now, JU remains a microcosm of Bangladesh: beautiful, flawed, unbreakable.